


Strangelove

by lakemonsters



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Affirmation, Dignified Kise, Established Relationship, M/M, Talkative Taiga, discomfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 02:51:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1181043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lakemonsters/pseuds/lakemonsters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroko and Aomine get into a car accident. They had no business being out at two o'clock in the morning - without Kise and Kagami knowing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strangelove

Silence is a good thing. 

Right after the noise and the maddening crowds and the soul crushing pressure of playing a good game, it all dies down to a soundless puffing of air in an almost deserted hallway, of an almost empty arena. 

It is a constant. 

 

Kagami squints under bright lights, eyes focused on the grayish color of the wall before him. His mind is racing, flitting back to the images of the game, reliving it all in one go. It takes even more energy to keep up and he exhales louder. 

He senses another presence and looks up to see Kise. He wonders how he can look tired yet so innocent, though it's not an absolute mystery, tonight was no ordinary game. “We won.” Kise states the obvious, his light tone telling Kagami that he's on his side and this is the present and high school is a lifetime away. 

His presence is refreshing just because he's not sulking like Kagami was a moment ago.

“I know. Good job out there.”

“Thanks, not like you didn't do better.” Kise is not adverse to returning the compliment. 

“You think we'll be able to hold out til the end of this season without Kuroko?” Kagami shifts, maneuvers to a different subject, a sharp detour and the minute he does so, he is sorry because it's insensitive, because he's in a mood and Kise is just trying to help and it's not fair to push at buttons that hurt.

If there's anyone who should be hurting right now, it should be Kise. And Kagami is a selfish, selfish man.

“Tetsu will be ok.” Kise holds up valiantly “We...I promised him we'd do well while he's recovering and in therapy. Physical therapy these days they do wonders, you know.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks at the ceiling. He is careful not to say more. Unlike Kagami, he doesn't want to breach subjects laced in nails.

“Sorry.”

“Kagamicchi, I think we should just do our part. We should just play as hard as we can.” And how can something so simple sound so very right, how can it summarize all the complicated things that none of them can change.

They are interrupted by one of the rookies, telling them that they should prepare as the bus is ready and they are heading out back to the dorms. Kise gives an affirmative and looks back at Kagami. 

“If you have somewhere else to be, I can hold on to your bag and leave it with your roommate when I get to the dorms.”

“You're not visiting Kuroko?”

“It's pretty late. Tetsu sleeps early so I'll go visit him in the morning after practice since I don't have morning classes.”

“I see. Okay, if it's not so much trouble.”

“It isn't.”

They part ways in that hall and he doesn't wait for his team to leave, Kagami goes on ahead, southbound towards the nearest bus stop, calculating the time that it will take him to commute from Sunset Boulevard to Vermont Avenue. He could always catch a taxi as well. 

_Decisions, decisions..._

* * *

To the naked eye, he looks alright.

To someone who doesn't know the backstory – he looks like someone who's done all he can for the day and is just winding down to recharge for tomorrow. Only, he is not. He is confined to his room because he is injured, because a few days ago he was out with a friend and they were arguing and they got careless and 

_\- they had no business being out at two in the morning..._

That's how the story goes. 

That's what Kagami and Kise and everyone else knows. But maybe there's something more. Maybe there's just a bit more of that gray area surrounding the rest of the story. And maybe Kagami is just too tired thinking about it and he's so close to shutting down.

“Did you eat dinner already, Daiki?” 

Kagami says without preamble. He's just arrived at the common living space that Aomine shares with two other teammates. It's a fairly spacious apartment located near Aomine's school, unlike Kagami's college who provides them living quarters inside the school. He thinks this place is probably sponsored by a group of rich alumna in full support of their alma mater's basketball team. It happens and Aomine is one great player that any, if not all, sponsors should spend on.

“Hey. Didn't know you were coming. That game – just heard – Congratulations.”

“Thanks. So, did you eat?”

“No. Not that hungry.”

“At least soup. I'll make you some.” 

Kagami half-acknowledges Aomine's flatmate who is going out with his lady friend. Aomine ignores them and keeps his eyes on Kagami. “I'm really not that hungry, but maybe you can help me with my bandages. I need liniment on my back too.” Aomine looks away and that part of him that is always so demanding of Kagami is now subdued.

“Okay.” Kagami says and he makes his way to where Aomine is and they both make their way back to the taller player's room.

Kagami feels lonely.

He is lonely eventhough Aomine is within arm's reach. They sit on the bed while Kagami applies a thin coating of liniment behind Aomine's shoulder and bicep. When he's done, Kagami then takes a piece of cotton in his hand and wets it sufficiently with antiseptic. 

“Can you lift your hand so I can remove the tape?”

“Yeah. But I'll do it. I can manage that much at least.” 

Aomine says and gruffly starts removing the tape from the edges of the dressings of his wounds. As he waits, Kagami looks at their reflection in the mirror that stands harmlessly at the side of Aomine's room. Kagami thinks that there is no inglorious satisfaction in watching both of them blur into formless shapes. It was his attempt at escape, fleeting and momentary. Only when he notices someone staring at him, does Kagami blink away the daydream and look up to meet Aomine's eyes in the mirror. 

“What are you thinking about?” Aomine asks him, his voice a little unsure because part of him (Kagami) may not be ready for this conversation. He closes his mouth when he sees Kagami's jaw clench.

“Nothing at all.” Kagami quips and he firmly takes the other player's hand and sets it carefully on his lap before he cleans the gashes and puncture marks and heavy bruises – common wounds from a car accident.

“Thanks” It's not like him to be gracious, it's not like him to treat this as an act of kindness instead of a privilege. “You shouldn't be doing this but...”

Kagami does not look up from what he's doing, instead he stops and stares at the injured hand. “Then tell me what I should be doing.” Because he is at that point where he doesn't really know what to do except do the things that make sense and taking care of Aomine always made sense to him. “We're both not good at small talk, Daiki. We fail at it miserably so please tell me. I am at a loss here.”

“It doesn't have to be small talk. We can talk about _it_...”

“It? Oh you mean the car accident. With you driving and Tetsu in the bucket seat. At two in the morning.” 

Neither of them speak after that.

Kagami's done cleaning the wounds and he's putting fresh bandages on Aomine carefully – when he's done - “Here. Tape it. I don't know how tight you want them.”

“Thanks.”

Not standing from where he's seated, Kagami threads his fingers tight and exhales. “You know, I get to see Kise everyday and I honestly don't know how to face him without dying of embarrassment. He might not say it but Kuroko is everything to him and you put him out of commission.”

“I asked him out, we had stuff to talk about.”

Kagami cuts him off - “You had no right. Think about it a little.” 

“Look I don't know what people are saying and I honestly don't care. We were not doing anything behind anyone's backs.” Aomine let his voice trail off and rake his good fingers across his scalp. “Taiga, you have to believe me when I say that it's not what it looks like.”

“I believe you when you say there's nothing going on. Because Kuroko told Kise the same thing and Kise believes him.”

“I already spoke to Kise over the phone.”

“He told me that too, before tonight's game.”

“Taiga, are you -”

“Someone has to be mad at you. Unfortunately, your longtime friends spoil you. But this won't fly, Daiki. Let me spell it out in crayon for you like a five-year old: Kuroko's taken and you're taken. You don't just drag someone out in the middle of the night if it's not important, in this case, dubiously important. Kise is putting up a very strong front. Which is more than I can say for myself.”

“You said you believe me.”

“But I'm annoyed!” Kagami's voice fills the spaces in Aomine's room and he's already standing up and walking towards the door. He holds on to the door knob tightly “I'm annoyed because jealousy is not my thing but I still feel it and I hate not absolutely believing _your story_ , because you're always brutally honest with me.”

Aomine stands up and begins walking to where Kagami is, stretching his good arm, trying to reach him.

Kagami steps back and inhales warning Aomine he doesn't want contact of the sort, not now. There's just too much history between Kuroko and Aomine that's hard to ignore and he despises himself for doubting both his friend and partner. It's not right and it's painful and Kagami's not used to this kind of feeling.

“Taiga, hey... look at me...”

“I can't do this tonight. I'll call you tomorrow.”

Two steps forward - his eyes focused on the wall or the posters of Bryant or Jordan behind Aomine, he leans in to kiss the taller man, it's a desperate attempt at contact as the kiss is weak and all Kagami's doing is communicating this muddle of emotions to Aomine, who tries to make it mean something but it's just that the other man refuses to open his mouth. The former Touo player stops trying when he feels Kagami's warm fingers in his hair, when he feels the tips of their noses touch in a gentle eskimo kiss.

And then it's gone, the door to his bedroom quietly closes just as he opens his eyes.

* * *

They are no longer children but Kise, Kuroko and Kagami always eat at this small park located an avenue from their school. They think it's lucky that their schedules allow them to hang out without the little humans around. 

There are small tables, miniscule once Kagami and Kise stand next to them.

Kuroko picks a place under a tree that shields them from the California sun.

“You're looking better. How's your first day being back holding up?” Kagami starts.

“Just a small gash near my eyebrow” Kuroko turns his head a bit to show his friend “and it's been a good day. My classmates have been helpful with the notes. There's not much to catch up on thanks to Ryouta-kun.” He looks at Kise meaningfully though Kise feigns innocence and pretends that the sandwich he is eating is oh so interesting.

“Kagami-kun - ”

Just about to take a bite out of his own sandwich, Kagami looks up “Yeah?”

“I must apologize for the trouble I caused along with Aomine-kun.”

Kise stops eating and Kagami inhales. 

“Kuroko, let's all just concentrate on your recovery and be thankful that there were no permanent damages. And don't apologize. An accident is an accident.”

The sandwich that Kise's holding is slowly discarded, set aside, as Kise leans closer to Kuroko and sighs. “I personally don't want to talk about it anymore. Sure, I was angry because Aominecchi shouldn't have dragged Tetsu out and he should have been more careful. I don't care about the small stuff. The details. All I needed to hear was what Tetsu had to say. But I suppose it's not easy for Kagamicchi, it's a different perspective.” Kise looks away and closes his eyes, from where Kagami sits, the blonde looks tired – like a dozen sleepless nights and then some.

Kuroko doesn't ask about Aomine, he doesn't say anymore and just tries to finish his drink.

“This is quite a lesson to learn isn't it, Kuroko?” Kagami says quietly after a long moment of silence as he polishes off the fries in his take away bag. He doesn't sound distracted or insincere, rather he sounds reasonable.

The shorter man nods quietly and he notices that Kise's slid lower where he's sitting, hiding his face in his arms – he is sharp when it comes to things like this and he probably knows where this is going. He mumbles “I'm going to take a power nap.” Kise whimpers quietly when he feels Kuroko's fingers gently ruffle his hair. He looks back at Kagami and nods. “Kagami-kun, I'm not used to making this kind of mistake but Aomine-kun is also a friend and I wanted to help.”

“Kuroko you are with someone else now. At two in the morning it's either you're sleeping or with Kise or with someone and Kise knows about it. And the same goes for _him_.” Kagami gestures irately as he refers to Aomine. “This is not playtime, this is not high school, we're not kids. Kise is your priority just like you are his. And I'm still a little angry because I'm not good at being a nagging adult but I feel like that's what I've become this past few weeks.”

Kuroko listens and bows lower, his hand in Kise's hair gently trembles.

“I'm really sorry, Kagami-kun.”

“What was so important at 2AM that he had to drive half-way across the city to pick you up. What did you talk about?” Kagami asks. If Kise didn't want to know, he's free to just walk away.

“Aomine-kun wanted to talk. He wasn't upset or anything but he wanted to talk to someone.”

“About what?”

“It's not for me to say, Kagami-kun. I apologize and I know it makes it sound bad but I cannot say more.”

“To be honest, it's not _that_ bad, Kuroko. It's just me and the feeling of being shut out really sucks. How can I fix something if I don't know what's wrong. If Kise didn't tell you something and told everyone else; that's how I feel right now.”

Kuroko looks away and shakes his head “Aomine-kun will tell you when he's ready. I know he will. But I can't.”  
“It's fine.” Kagami reaches across the table and knocks Kuroko's temple gently. “You're a good friend, Kuroko.”

And as if on cue, Kise sits up and yawns. “We should get back on campus.”

* * *

Their world shifts on a whim, changes with his every mood.

That's how it feels like for Kagami at least, as he watches Aomine pull up the loose jogging pants with one hand. He's just finished helping the injured player take a bath and Aomine insists that he can dress himself because today his injuries don't hurt as much. He's nearly recovered but it's just that Kagami likes doing this despite his feelings, despite the things they still need to sort out.

“I can't get this right.” Aomine looks at him helplessly.

Kagami pulls himself up from Aomine's bed and stands in front of him, tying the strings of his jogging pants for him. It's not that the taller man couldn't do it. It's just one way of drawing Kagami close. 

Initiating.

“Shall we start on your notes and this English essay?” It is Kagami's way of saying that there are more important things.

Refusing.

“I'll write but you have to tell me what you want written.”

Aomine looks at him for a moment longer before he inhales and agrees. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“It's English 101 and I can write at least.” Kagami tries not to look at Aomine's bandages, if he does, he's going to lose his focus and he's going to flood in feelings and he just can't have that right now.

“Alright. Well we were talking about this girl named Sophie in class and she's supposed to be some Magician's girlfriend and well the essay's about why we think that Magician's making Sophie live and see different worlds and such.”

Aomine crouches near Kagami,

Kagami visibly moves away from him. Not too obvious but it's there. 

“Okay. So what do you think?”

Aomine stands up and starts giving out ideas or maybe half-ideas, Kagami tries to make sense of them and he vaguely knows about this film and book that Aomine's talking about, it's just that the weirdest thing here is Aomine's doing school work. It counts for something. 

“...and I just think that this Sophie person is displaying trust. I mean in the film, every time they're in a new place she doesn't shut herself in, she kind of goes out and walks around it and I think it's for that Magician. She's doing it for that Magician.”

Kagami lets him speak and really, he does not know who this Sophie is but maybe he kind of knows how she feels? Since meeting and being with Aomine his life's changed and nothing's ever predictable. It's the kind of life that his mother warned him about but then again it doesn't matter now does it? because he's in too deep and a life without Aomine right now is unimaginable. That so long as Aomine stands at the center of their universe, Kagami would gladly frolic in its terrains. Kagami knows well enough that he's started to live for the unpredictable days, though he may be on edge, he always feels that his heart is never less than whole.

“Taiga...are you still writing?”

Kagami looks up and blinks at Aomine “Yeah. I got your last sentence down. It's a page and a half. You think this is enough?”

“Even if it isn't, that's all I have to say.”

Their world summed up in a sentence. It makes Kagami nod and smile just a little.

“I should go. I've got class early in the morning.”

There's a protest in Aomine's eyes and he's about to give voice to it when Kagami stands and keeps their position face to face. There's no threat in that stance, no warning, Kagami's simply watching him, maybe trying to read him. It doesn't make Aomine uncomfortable. He likes the fact that after weeks, Kagami's really looking at him. Seeing him.

“Taiga, it's a Friday tomorrow. Maybe you can drive us to Malibu for the weekend.”

“Santa Monica's nearer.”

“I know but we need a change of scenery.”

Kagami doesn't want to get ahead of himself – so he agrees on the premise that there's not much reason for him to refuse Aomine to begin with. Kagami doesn't say anything when Aomine moves to get his jacket for him. It's unprecedented. He doesn't know if it's remorse or guilt on Aomine's part; then again those are too complex and Aomine hates complicated.

“Thanks.” Shrugging the jacket on.

And then Aomine beats him to it, when he's first to pull him into a tame kiss.

* * *

They end up trying for small talk in the car, an attempt to kill time though Malibu is not that far - they'll make it there before dusk.

Kagami is at the wheel while Aomine relaxed in the bucket seat. They take Kagami's SUV because Aomine's is in the shop for obvious reasons. Aomine tries to share some jokes his flatmate shared at breakfast. It's about Jesus walking into a bar and handing the bar tender three nails.

"...and he goes - can you put me up for the night?"

It makes Kagami laugh a little. 

“It feels like hundreds of days ago since you cracked a joke. A Catholic joke no less.”

“I wouldn't say hundreds. Just figured you'd listen today since you've got no choice, stuck in the car with me like this.”

“I listen to you all the time. If what you're saying is worth listening to.”

It's a prelude, maybe? To a conversation they should have had weeks ago. A shot in the dark, but they could both be ready, they could both get what they need out of this short road trip: For Kagami to hear what he's been waiting for, for Aomine to say what's been on his mind since before the accident. Something needs to shift, they can't keep going at this rate, when the things left hanging between them are starting to take its toll. Between the todays and the tomorrows, who knows what will happen and then all they'll have is mortality one-upping them out of nowhere again.

“I'll go do our paperwork and bring in the luggage, you think you can manage parking?” Kagami asks Aomine once they arrive at the inn they'll be staying at for the weekend. The taller man agrees and just as he moves to go to the driver's seat, the redhead makes his way to the admin office.

A part-timer shows Kagami the room they'll be staying in, after handing in the key and a low thank you, the athlete sets their bags on one of the beds and starts making the place feel more comfortable – airconditioning, lights, checking the bath. And it's in the bath that Aomine finds him.

“Everything working?” asks the taller man.

“Yeah. Find a good place to park?”

“I did. I saw a vending machine outside – anything you want?”

“Starburst and a Cherry Coke.”

Aomine takes off his hoodie, picks out change from his pocket with his good hand and leaves to get them their snack. 

Kagami watches him from the door of the bathroom and maybe it's being away from all that's familiar or maybe it's being near the sea that he is overcome by a heavy feeling of nostalgia and fear. That after weeks of keeping it together, keeping things under control - the fact that Aomine had been in an accident, terrible enough to keep him from playing basketball, hits him. No matter how much Kagami nitpicks about the reasons why Aomine and Kuroko were out that night, the bottomline is that those reasons pale in comparison to the fact that he could have lost one of them. The redhead thinks about Kise and his tired smile, about Kuroko and his sincere apologies. 

And he understands.

He feels like he's losing control and he's both sleepy and alive. 

“Taiga, are you alright?” 

Just as Aomine walks in, he discards the snacks on the nearest flat surface and walks hurriedly to where Kagami is. “Hey, talk to me.” He leans down just so he's eye to eye with Kagami and sees that he's a little unfocused. Aomine pulls away intending to get a face towel, wet it and help refresh his partner, but he finds a firm hand on his forearm and a decided clutch pulls him closer into Kagami's personal space.

Maybe it's the light that breaches the blinds that makes Aomine look so surreal right now, the slants of shadows that fall across their skin in this small unfamiliar room, caging them far from their all-too crazy lives.

But Aomine gets it and he lets himself be taken over because for the most part, he's missed this. His back hits the wall and Kagami's hand palms over his growing erection. They don't stand on ceremony, they kiss like its their last and for the first time in a while Kagami opens up to Aomine. Blooms in this ordinary hour, asking him for a great many things with each swipe of his tongue.

It's an old, ugly dresser but it will have to do as Aomine takes him against it, with Kagami's hands taking up a lot if surface space just to hold himself up and push back against Aomine. He wants his warmth, the comforting sizzle of Aomine's skin against his back, the curve of his ass against Aomine's hip. They hurry like they're making up for days upon days of delay – there's no time to undress – jeans pooling around their knees.

Kagami bows his head down low, asking under his breath – please, please, _please_.

Aomine hears him and though his injured hand is still in bandages, he snakes it carefully so he's touching Kagami's side; the redhead responds – and though they fuck vigorously, he isolates this part of Aomine and carefully moves the hand to lay it flat against his chest, over his heart. Kagami keeps it there until he comes.

They do it two more times immediately after that – on the bed with Kagami on all fours and then on his back. It ends with Aomine breathing heavy against his jugular, tremors still running through them. It's not the interval, Kagami thinks. It's the distance and and the accident and the trench that _was_ steadily growing between them. They needed to collide, for their orbits to cross once again. Fancy words for re-affirmation.

“Taiga, my hand hurts.” Aomine says after everything about him starts to function again.

“Can you move? If you let me up, I'll fix it.” He says confidently.

 _That's it_ \- he thinks. 

They're done for tonight.

* * *

There's no redemption like a California sunrise.

They sit on the sand a few meters from the shoreline, huddling in their sweaters as the sea breeze moves persistent against them. Kagami leans against Aomine's leg because it's comfortable. 

Aomine doesn't like this position and feels that Kagami's too far, this distance is not okay and he is shamelessly needy at least for the remainder of the weekend. He pulls Kagami up so they sit side by side, just watching the play of lights and surfers that are beginning to gather at the other side of the beach.

“May I?”

And Kagami feels like he will disintegrate at any time because hearing Aomine speak in such a tone, using such words, asking permission (of all things) makes him feel like he's just won the lottery. They kiss and it's a weird kiss because Kagami's stomach feels like its filled with a hundred starlings in flight. He smiles into it and lets Aomine pull him close. An embrace that tells him to never let go. Kagami belatedly realizes that Aomine's finger is gently hooked on that ring/necklace of his, as if he too is trying to engrave himself into something indispensable to Kagami. It's strange because he feels like he's just stumbled on the answer he's been looking for.

“Why did you take Tetsu out that night? Why did you argue in the car?” The question is clear as daylight and Aomine doesn't have it in him to evade.

“I asked him why he and I didn't work out and why it was going well with Kise.” Aomine feels Kagami's defenses pull up but he continues attempting to pull them down once more “He got angry because they were stupid questions and it was late and for all obvious reasons he shouldn't be out with me at such an odd hour. It's my fault, I know that. But I just wanted to know because I'd hate to make the _same_ mistakes. _This_ is very important to me.”

“And you _almost_ screwed it up when all you had to do was talk to me.” Kagami said quietly.

“Almost...” Aomine repeats as he bumps his cheek against Kagami's, the closest he'll ever come to saying he is sorry. He reaches for Kagami's hand, and as always Kagami is always there to take it.  


“Almost. Daiki, there is no next time.” The taller man squeezes his hand to tell him that he understands.

_But the thing is..._

Kagami knows that if Aomine screws up again somewhere along the way, he will forgive him again and again. But it's better to not lay that out in the open for good measure.

* * *

**_Epilogue?_ **

 

On their way back from Malibu:

“You'll need to talk to Kise. Over the phone is not good enough.” Kagami reminds him.

“I know.” Aomine agrees.

*

Luck smiles down on them once again as they get the park to themselves – Kuroko and Kise take over their usual spot and today is not really different from most days, except that Kise is more chirpy. Like a weight's been lifted from his shoulders and things are beginning to look up since the accident.

Kuroko's going to physical therapy beginning next week and Kise's done with his English – two days before its submission.

“They're here, Ryouta-kun.”

Kise looks up and sees Aomine and Kagami walk towards them, bags of takeaway from Jack In The Box in their hands.

“Kagamicchi! Aominecchi!”

Kise squeezes Kuroko's shoulder gently before he gets up to greet and help them with the bags.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, it was a moment of insanity. And somehow they all ended up in SoCal (no more Japanese lunch time rush?) I love teh OTP ;(


End file.
